Contents
Horseradish is a perennial plant with a fleshy root, a regular in the summer cottage, an indispensable ingredient in cooking. And yet – the undisputed champion in the conquest of personal plots. Once planted it is incredibly difficult to get rid of forever. If you are just thinking about planting horseradish, then immediately take care to isolate it from the rest of the site. But if you have already planted, or purchased land with horseradish once sown, then you will have to try to bring it out. How to get rid of horseradish in simple ways?
Ways to deal with horseradish
Conventionally, the ways to deal with this plant in the garden are divided into three types: the use of herbicides, mechanical removal, displacement by other plants. Alone, they are ineffective, so it is important to combine them with each other. For example, treat with chemicals and cut the rhizome. An integrated approach will increase the chances of success of the undertaking!
An effective method of eradicating horseradish is herbicides. These are special chemicals that are used to kill plants. Herbicides are divided into:
- substances of continuous action, killing plants indiscriminately;
- selective substances affecting plants of a certain type.
It is safer to use continuous herbicides, but this must be done carefully so as not to lose all the vegetation on the site at once.
- “Tornado” is one of the most effective herbicides. The substance enters the plant through the leaves, and then descends to the roots, where it destroys the usurpers of your land.
- “Hurricane” is a non-selective herbicide of systemic action, which is used after the emergence of vegetation. The substance is absorbed into the roots, and begins to act after 5 days.
- “Roundup” – is distinguished by its effectiveness and overall environmental friendliness. The drug is devoid of activity in the soil, after removing horseradish or other weeds, immediately sow a new crop.
Successful herbicides in the case of horseradish will require a little sleight of hand and patience. You will need a 10-20 ml medical syringe and a thin needle. Cut off the aerial part of the plant, opening the root, then make holes in it with a knitting needle. The more holes you make, the better. Then draw the undiluted drug into the syringe, enter into the holes. The main task is to inject the herbicide as deep into the root as possible. This is only a declaration of war, repeat the procedure for a week, because horseradish has a developed root system and can easily grow back.
Another enemy of horseradish is saltpeter. This fertilizer can be successfully used against an overgrown weed. All summer, until the first frosts, water horseradish leaves with saltpeter. Fertilizer constantly stimulates the growth of the plant, so that it does not have time to prepare for the winter “hibernation”. Eventually, it will freeze.
Another way is to use ammonium nitrate. You will need to cut the leaves, expose the root, and then tightly fix the plastic tubes on the formed “columns”. Pour ammonium nitrate into them and add a little water. After blocking the pipes, backfill the beds with earth. Ammonia will quickly destroy the root and free up space in the garden. It is best to combine herbicides with saltpeter to increase the chances of success.
Video “Practical recommendations”
Demonstrative video with practical recommendations for removing horseradish from the garden.
Folk remedies
Successful struggle is possible with the help of folk remedies. Arm yourself with salt, sprinkle the beds and roots of the plant abundantly. Acidic soil adversely affects the growth and rooting of horseradish. Be careful – salting the ground will damage the surrounding seedlings. The obvious disadvantage of using salt is that the method is unreliable, requiring repeated repetition.
The next way is to enclose the plant. Even if horseradish is already growing in your garden, isolate it from the rest of the plantings with wooden walls, digging them to a depth of at least 40 cm. The task is laborious, but it will help you keep the roots growing underground. After all, it is much more convenient to deal with long-lived plants when they are concentrated in one place.
Tip for the future: when you recycle or dig up horseradish, do not mix it with compost. It is better to take the leftovers away from the beds or use the trash can.
How to cut horseradish
Mechanical removal of the plant’s rhizome requires care and patience. You will need a shovel and special forks. Digging up the ground or mindlessly wielding a chopper does not make any sense, so you will only help the horseradish spread.
The first variant of digging is that, having loosened the earth in the garden, you have to find and select all the small roots. Note that you have to dig the breast to a depth of 30-40 cm, and in no way less than 50-60 cm wide. Try not to crush the root so as not to stimulate it to release even more lateral roots. Carefully sort out the soil, choosing all the shoots.
The second option will keep you busy for the whole season. You will need a pitchfork to dig the earth. The mechanism of action is the same – after loosening the earth with a pitchfork, you have to choose the roots. The main thing is not to damage the rhizome and try to remove as many shoots as possible in order to clear a few more beds in the garden.
Fight with other plants
How to breed horseradish using other plants? In fact, it is quite difficult due to the increased resistance to external influences. After treating with herbicides and digging up the beds, sow zucchini or any pumpkin. They are best suited for weed control. The obvious disadvantage of this method of struggle is that the horseradish roots remaining in the soil will sprout, overtake other plants in growth, and then survive from the garden.
Arrange a lawn of perennial grasses at the landing site. They will successfully cope with horseradish attempts to germinate in the spring. Combine herbs with planting fences with wooden walls or a barrel to keep them from overgrowing.
You should not allow the neighborhood of horseradish and potatoes in the garden. Potatoes, at first, will stop the growth of horseradish, but later serve as fertilizer for him. To successfully combat horseradish in the garden, use several methods at the same time. Remember, this war is not easy.
Video “Ways to fight”
Informative video with ways to deal with horseradish.